USIfAC II, technical problems & support [MERGED with Plus-related posts from original thread]

[ikonsgr]

okay got  a FTDI cable and it doesnt work (picked up by the tool fine in windows), will play with that a bit more.
now i got one of the wifi modules but it has 4 connector pins, i see these connected into another board which then connects to the USIFAC II. does anyone know what connector board i need for this?
will get there in the end...

You can plug any ESP-12, ESP-07 ESP-01 (with the added 5v adapter) directly on ULIfAC's 4pin female connector labeled "WiFi module"
Check user's guide for more details: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/a49200lebugw8okfk4yvi/ULIFAC-User-Guide_v5.pdf?rlkey=jewodf9u7aikvumjbl0swtth5&dl=0

[khisanth]

okay got  a FTDI cable and it doesnt work (picked up by the tool fine in windows), will play with that a bit more.
now i got one of the wifi modules but it has 4 connector pins, i see these connected into another board which then connects to the USIFAC II. does anyone know what connector board i need for this?
will get there in the end...

You can plug any ESP-12, ESP-07 ESP-01 (with the added 5v adapter) directly on ULIfAC's 4pin female connector labeled "WiFi module"
Check user's guide for more details: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/a49200lebugw8okfk4yvi/ULIFAC-User-Guide_v5.pdf?rlkey=jewodf9u7aikvumjbl0swtth5&dl=0

perfect, just what i needed. ordered one and should be good to go.

Also used a usb stick with SD card and have managed to get a step closer and managed to load a game to the loading screen (Thrust), but the machine resets. I used the |6128 command then ran the .dsk image. maybe i need to play around more.

[ikonsgr]

Also used a usb stick with SD card and have managed to get a step closer and managed to load a game to the loading screen (Thrust), but the machine resets. I used the |6128 command then ran the .dsk image. maybe i need to play around more.

What board do you have, ULIfAC or USIfAC II? Also what CPC you use 464 or 6128?

[eto]

What's wrong when I get "No File(s)/Dir(s) Found!" all of a sudden?

Two different USIFACs, two different USB sticks, two different CPC 464 - all worked a few weeks ago and now it just gives that error message and I can't access USB sticks any longer.

Update: after reformatting as FAT I can now see one file and one folder. Most files and the content of the folder don't appear.

[khisanth]

Also used a usb stick with SD card and have managed to get a step closer and managed to load a game to the loading screen (Thrust), but the machine resets. I used the |6128 command then ran the .dsk image. maybe i need to play around more.

What board do you have, ULIfAC or USIfAC II? Also what CPC you use 464 or 6128?

i got Renegade up and running so made progress    running the ulifac on a 464

[ikonsgr]

What's wrong when I get "No File(s)/Dir(s) Found!" all of a sudden?
Two different USIFACs, two different USB sticks, two different CPC 464 - all worked a few weeks ago and now it just gives that error message and I can't access USB sticks any longer.
Update: after reformatting as FAT I can now see one file and one folder. Most files and the content of the folder don't appear.

Make sure to remove the "read only" and the "archive" bit property, from all files/directories (open usb root directory, select everything ->right click-> select properties->uncheck ,,Archive‟ check button).

i got Renegade up and running so made progress    running the ulifac on a 464

You should try a proper usb stick with fat32, sd cards are not so reliable and may have more access issues. Also, make sure to remove the "read only" and the "archive" bit property, from all files/directories as i pointed out to @eto too, as these attributes can cause issues when accessing files/directories.

[ikonsgr]

A couple of useful hints:

- If you are having issues with a usb stick you are using, try to format usb stick using this free 3rd party partition software:
https://www.lsoft.net/partition-manager/index.html

- After copying files/directories to the usb stick, ALWAYS remove "read only" and the "archive" bit properties from all files/directories!

I've just tried Active Partition Manager and format an old 4GB usb stick i had, and then tried it with an old CH376 usb host module with old fw that caused many issues when accessing files from a usb stick that was formatted from windows, and guess what, everything worked perfect! I've tried direct file loading, dsk images, snapshots, saving to usb stick all worked perfect! I even load symbos and browse the usb stick and load apps from a subfolder! ;-)

[eto]

Make sure to remove the "read only" and the "archive" bit property, from all files/directories (open usb root directory, select everything ->right click-> select properties->uncheck ,,Archive‟ check button).

okay, seems this helped.

But now I have a different problem: I can no longer save a BAS file. When I try it just hangs and never finishes. I have to reset it. any idea what that yould be?

[eto]

Check with |STAT if "Return to Root" is really active or not. Then try giving OUT &FBD1,65 and see if Ret2root is deactivated.

Whatever I do I am stuck in the directory. Return to Root is definitely active but is ignored.

[eto]

Try giving |EN, this will disable dsk access mode and enable the direct file mode.
Btw,i suppose you have the latest Firmware installed (7d)?

As long as the DSK image is mounted I get "unknown command". I have to turn off the whole computer to get access to the USIFAC commands.

[ikonsgr]

@eto, did you format the usb stick using this and not windows?
I think this might resolve this strange problem.

Btw, did you update to the latest fw (7e)?

[eto]

eto, did you format the usb stick using this and not windows?

yes I did. No change unfortunately. 

I think this might resolve this strange problem.

Which of my 3 problems should it resolve? Saving the BAS, returning to the root directory or the unknown command?

Btw, did you update to the latest fw (7e)?

Not yet. As I have soldered the resistor array I did not have any reason to upgrade. 

[ikonsgr]

eto, did you format the usb stick using this and not windows?

yes I did. No change unfortunately.

I think this might resolve this strange problem.

Which of my 3 problems should it resolve? Saving the BAS, returning to the root directory or the unknown command?

Btw, did you update to the latest fw (7e)?

Not yet. As I have soldered the resistor array I did not have any reason to upgrade.

Well, in that case, you can try a different Usb stick. If you still have problems, then the next "suspect" would be the edge connector ribbon cable, assuming that this problem showed suddenly (e.g. the edge connector of Amstrad CPC is properly cleaned and worked fine).
 Lately i start adding strain reliefs on the 50pin idc connector on the ribbon cable, which will help to avoid connection problems due to fatigue and strain over the years of usage of the ribbon.
Btw, re-flashing PIC MCU is not a bad idea, as by doing that we can exclude the possibility of a damaged code. It's quite rare, but i have encountered in the past such weird issues, where a couple of times they resolved by re-flashing  PIC MCU.

[ikonsgr]

Try giving |EN, this will disable dsk access mode and enable the direct file mode.
Btw,i suppose you have the latest Firmware installed (7d)?

As long as the DSK image is mounted I get "unknown command". I have to turn off the whole computer to get access to the USIFAC commands.

]
About this specific "problem" it's quite normal, with USIfAC II, when you give |464 to enable the amsdos emulation (and be able to access disk images), the board's rom is disabled (in order to serve amsdos emulation), and that's why you don't get any boot message after reset, and obviously no RSX command is recognized.

[GUNHED]

Makes sense, some 464 games use nearly every byte and won't run with expansion ROMs.

[khisanth]

Okay got the ESP-01 (with the added 5v adapter) plugged in, its got power so ready to go.

Firstly  the |WIFI command is not recognised, but |COM does and takes me into the Basic Terminal. I have tried various AT commands (e.g. to put it in STA mode) and I get nothing back whatever I try. What should I be doing?

[eto]

About this specific "problem" it's quite normal, with USIfAC II, when you give |464 to enable the amsdos emulation (and be able to access disk images), the board's rom is disabled (in order to serve amsdos emulation), and that's why you don't get any boot message after reset, and obviously no RSX command is recognized.

So "turning off" is the only option to get back to the root directory? 

[ikonsgr]

Okay got the ESP-01 (with the added 5v adapter) plugged in, its got power so ready to go.

Firstly  the |WIFI command is not recognised, but |COM does and takes me into the Basic Terminal. I have tried various AT commands (e.g. to put it in STA mode) and I get nothing back whatever I try. What should I be doing?

If you have new fw the command is |WF,1 for setup, and |WF for reconnection. Also, try first to set uart port speed at 115200 (default speed for most wifi modules) with |SET and then try |COM

[ikonsgr]

About this specific "problem" it's quite normal, with USIfAC II, when you give |464 to enable the amsdos emulation (and be able to access disk images), the board's rom is disabled (in order to serve amsdos emulation), and that's why you don't get any boot message after reset, and obviously no RSX command is recognized.

So "turning off" is the only option to get back to the root directory?

When in "464" mode, you can only access the dsk image previously mounted with |MG command. If you want to access RSX commands, change dsk image etc , you just press reset button and return to "normal" mode. Whether you will get back to root directory automatically or not, has to do with the setting of "Return to Root" function: OUT &FBD1,66 to enable,  and OUT &FBD1,65 to disable.

p.s. of course if you have ULIfAC board, the "464" mode is obsolete, as you can give a simple |6128 to activate the "CPC 6128" mode, where CPC 464 is transformed to a CPC 6128 (with all 3 roms, FW, BASIC, AMSDOS of 6128) and  access dsk images, RSX commands, files, snapshots all at the same time

[darkhalf]

CPC6128 + USIFACII (Rev 7E) fitted with a revaldinho M4 expansion board (with no other boards fitted).

I've found so far to power the CPC and expansion board from an external power supply (5V / 2 amp min)  for best results. Also I fitted a switch to the power supply lines to switch off/on easily

Using latest connection utility (V2) will produce two errors on startup
1. Error about no configuration file
2. "" is not a valid integer value
3. Exception when failure to communicate with COM port (shuts down program)

Going back to the older Rev1 utility for now

Connection: bluetooth (115200) with no USB fitted.

Issues: Run |TER, run |SET, run |EN then run |TER. Freezes on blue screen. Even resetting with onboard reset button results in stuck with blue screen black border. Needs mulitple reset/power off to recover.

Issue: Test connection in 'Terminal' mode and send 'hello' from PC to CPC  in 'terminal' program. Then exit terminal program on CPC. Change PC side to 'Direct mode' and one of the folders in LiliCPC (720 degrees).

Was able to |CAT and then |EN for direct mode. Then run"720 after this it just freezes. Restart CPC and no comms to PC. Go back into |SET and make sure 115200 and then test 'hello' in terminal . Then run |EN and then |CAT but 'no response from PC'. Not sure what I'm doing wrong but its losing comms

Updated. Keep trying the same thing. Getting comms, then 'run' and then just freezes. CTRL-ALT-DEL doesn't work. Reset on the USIFAC II puts the screen into MODE0. So needs a total power off, but then doesn't get to the BASIC prompt until several resets

[ikonsgr]

@darkhalf i've test a pair of BT modules with rev 2. program and USIfAC II rev.7e using a CP2102 an a CH340 usb2serial modules on Windows 10, and all seem to work ok (tried cat, load direct files, access dsk image), so i'm afraid i couldn't find any problem with the rev2. windows program and bt modules.
Say, did you disable "auto usb" function with OUT &FBD1,93? If you don't do that, then every time you reset Amstrad, uart port speed will default to 9600bps!

[darkhalf]

I'm using a bluetooth dongle in my PC. It shows in device manager that and the HC05 which is connected to the USIFAC II. 


1. The 'Can not read configuration or Direct Load file!' error happens when there is no setup.txt file in the folder. To repeat, put the executable in a new clean folder to see the error. The '' is not a valid integer file happens straight after

If you close the program/reopen without making changes, these errors both repeat until I change a parameter and close the file without the serial exception.

2. The 'serial exception' in the program only happens if the HC05 is powered, but the CPC does not respond. So it is probably an error reported from the bluetooth dongle that is not correctly handled by the V2 application. If you can capture and handle that serial error then it should rectify this issue. 

did you disable "auto usb" function with OUT &FBD1,93? If you don't do that, then every time you reset Amstrad, uart port speed will default to 9600bps!

No I have not. It's been a while since I've used my CPC so I've read through the latest manual before posting.  This does not part does appear to be documented clearly.

Attached is the section where it says how to disable the USB auto detection, but there is no mention about it stopping serial comms from working. Would it be possible when using |USB to set this function and then |EN or |EN2 to disable? 

That way you only issue the one command for the mode that you use it with, and it keeps that setting until you change to the other mode. Otherwise update the |EN part of the manual to disable auto USB function?

Any comments on running |TER more than once? It seems to lock up the CPC and put it in a bad state

[darkhalf]

Found some time tonight to re-test and all good once issuing the OUT &FBD1,93 command. Able to browse the folders, run games etc. 

Got to remember to use |CAT instead of |DIR since that will freeze up the CPC in this |EN mode

[darkhalf]

What's wrong when I get "No File(s)/Dir(s) Found!" all of a sudden? Two different USIFACs, two different USB sticks, two different CPC 464 - all worked a few weeks ago and now it just gives that error message and I can't access USB sticks any longer.

I'm seeing the same thing as ETO. I've got three USB sticks I've been using with USIFAC II

One super old 64MB which still works okay but two others partitioned and FAT32 formatted 1024MB and another 252MB. Both of these are now showing "No files(s) / Dir(s) found" since I flashed up to Rev7E. At this point I'm tempted to roll back through versions and see if they work with earlier ones

[ikonsgr]

I'm seeing the same thing as ETO. I've got three USB sticks I've been using with USIFAC II
One super old 64MB which still works okay but two others partitioned and FAT32 formatted 1024MB and another 252MB. Both of these are now showing "No files(s) / Dir(s) found" since I flashed up to Rev7E. At this point I'm tempted to roll back through versions and see if they work with earlier ones

Try to format usb stick with this utility. I've test some usb sticks that previously had access problems (getting  "No File(s)/Dir(s) Found!" is one such error), and after using active partition manager they start to work perfect